Fairy Tales for Fairy Tail
by kittenofmusic
Summary: After Lucy is asked by Levy to write a fairy tale based story of Levy and Gajeel, other members of the guild ask for stories of their own. But, the more that Lucy writes for her friends, the sadder she becomes, wishing she had a cute story of her own. Gajevy - Beauty and the Beast based, Jerza - Sleeping Beauty based, Gruvia - Little Mermaid based Nalu - Fairy Tail based ;)
1. Chapter One: How It All Began

The first time she wrote one was for her best friend. Levy and Lucy were having a girl's night. Which, to them, meant comfy clothes, wine and lots and lots of books. This time, the book they were discussing was a collection of old fairy tales. They had just read a story about an intimidating beast who had captured a young beauty. As they talked about the likelihood of a captive actually falling for her brutal captor, Levy's ears had started to turn red. The more they talked, the more on edge she got. She had no issue defending it as being ' _very_ possible', despite all of Lucy's skepticism. And then Lucy realized why.

"OH MY GOSH!" she squealed, suddenly, startling Levy who jumped a little in her seat. "You're _totally_ thinking of you and Gajeel!"

If Levy's ears had been red before, now they were crimson.

"I am _not!"_ She denied, however futile the attempt.

"Don't be embarrassed, Levy! It's adorable! And it _totally_ fits! You guys make the cutest story."

"You really think so?"

"Um, _YES._ I mean, you two went from him torturing you because he was told to, to him protecting you despite you telling him not to. It's adorable. You fell for a soft hearted, cat loving songwriter, parading around as a metal headed beast. It's perfect! I can't believe I've never seen it before!"

Levy just sighed and sadly stated, "If only I had the same skills as a writer that you do. I've tried writing it down, but I just can't seem to express it. I get so embarrassed and give up after a few paragraphs."

"I could write it for you!"

Levy's head popped up, "Oh Lu-chan! Would you really?"

"Of course! I'd love to! Only . . ." Lucy's ears started to turn red as well.

"What?"

"I don't know if I could write any of those …. Ahem …. Let's just say 'Erza worthy' scenes. I think I'd die if I actually tried to picture Gajeel that way."

"Oh my gosh! You wouldn't need to! I think _I'd_ die if you did!"

"Great! I guess I should get started, then." Lucy giggled, and Levy shortly joined her at her writing desk. The two of them spent the next half an hour pulling out all the parallels they could find and outlining a basic plot.


	2. Chapter Two: Levy Gets Her Story

A few weeks later, Lucy brought the sealed envelope containing Levy's story to the guild. She clutched it to her person, nervous that somebody else in the guild would see it and judge her writing. She sat down at the bar.

"Lucy!" Mira greeted her, warmly. "Can I get you anything?"

"Hey, Mira," Lucy responded, just as warmly, "hmmm…. What do you have for breakfast, today?"

"I have a few things. I have hot coffee, biscuits and gravy and spicy scrambled eggs and toast."

"Spicy? Is Natsu here? I didn't know he was back from his solo mission!"

Mira chuckled and gave Lucy a very suggestive look. "Oho! Is Lucy pining for her love? Sad and depressed that he left her behind? Never fear, Lucy! Your gallant dragon slayer returned about an hour ago. He ordered the food and then collapsed over there." Mira pointed at the end of her statement, towards a table. Now that Lucy knew where to look, she could see the corner of his scarf just peeking over the back of the booth.

"So, he hasn't eaten yet? I was wondering how there was any of his food _left_ for others to eat!"

"Oh yes, I'm sure that's _all_ you were wondering." Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Fill up a plate for him, and biscuits and gravy for me. I'll bring his to him." Mira started humming something about 'lovers breakfasts' and busying herself. She was back quickly, plates in hand.

"Thanks, Mira!" Lucy spoke, as she grabbed the food and sauntered over to her sleeping partner.

Lucy sat down and quietly smiled as she watched Natsu's adorable face, sleeping. She picked up a spoon and slowly lifted some eggs near his face. She held back a giggle as his nose twitched in response. His unconscious face slowly lifted towards the food, his mouth opening, reflexively. Just when he was close, Lucy pulled her hand back. Eyes flashed open, fixating on the eggs. A hand suddenly grabbed Lucy's wrist and pulled her back, mouth practically pouncing to meet the food that, somehow, managed to stay put during all the jostling.

Lucy blushed at the contact of Natsu's hand around her wrist. The blush only increased when Natsu moaned after his first bite. Luckily, for Lucy, the blush quickly faded as Natsu activated his usual eating habits. He chowed down his eggs, mumbling through bites, a chirpy, "Mornin' Luce!"

"Good morning, Natsu." Lucy's voice was formal, a shield put up from embarrassment and annoyance.

Lucy picked up her own utensils and quickly, though still well mannered, began to consume her own food. She ate a little quicker when she realized Natsu was done with his food and staring at her plate. She ate a few more bites before giving up. Sighing, she wordlessly slid the plate his way. With a cheer, Natsu dug into what was left of her breakfast.

"That is why you're my favorite, Lucy!" He stated when he finished eating.

"Yeah, favorite. I'm sure that's why you left me behind on your mission." Lucy blinked after the words left her mouth. She usually held in little frustrations like this one.

"Well, it's not like you can write and work at the same time, now is it?" Natsu stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I – what?"

Rolling his eyes, Natsu asked slowly, "Can you write and defeat a monster at the same time, Lucy? No? Well, I could tell you were busy writing and didn't want to interrupt you."

Lucy was surprised. _He hadn't wanted to interrupt me?_ Although, what she didn't realize is Natsu was mostly scared of repeating a mistake he had made months ago. The first time he had interrupted Lucy's writing when she was 'on a roll' she'd kicked him, hard, as well as out of her apartment, refused to make him food and, to top it off, had even sent Erza after him. The fact that she involved Erza had been the clearest message he ever needed to realize how serious she took her writing time.

"That's – thank you, Natsu." Natsu mumbled something in return but was instantly distracted when Gray chose that exact moment to walk into the guildhall.

The two locked eyes and that was apparently all inciting needed that morning because, the next thing anyone knew, tables were toppled, chairs were being thrown and all exasperated members, unwilling to join in, ran for cover.

Lucy, envelope in hand, bolted out the doors. There was no point waiting for Levy there, anymore. Instead, she made her way towards Fairy Hills. She was still a little peeved nobody had told her this place existed when she first joined, but she loved her apartment too much to really care. Besides, as much as she acted like she hated it, she'd miss Natsu's random barging in. He would never crash at her place if it was a place Erza guarded. Lucy pushed through the gate and through the door. She made her way towards Levy's room, knocking gently when she reached it. Levy answered a few moments later.

"Lucy! I thought we were meeting at the guild." She wrapped Lucy in a hug.

"I went there and let's just say Natsu and Gray are up to their usual shenanigans."

"What was that about Natsu and Gray?" Lucy and Levy both turned to see Erza, hands on hips, stomping their way.

Reacting, as if they were Natsu and Gray and not themselves, Lucy and Levy snapped to attention. "N-nothing!" Erza's eyes bore into theirs, challenging their honesty.

"Hmm," was all she stated as she relaxed, suddenly. "What are you doing here, Lucy?"

"Huh? Oh. Um. I'm just bringing Levy a sto-"Lucy was interrupted by Levy who suddenly exclaimed,

"You finished it!? I'd hoped that's why you wanted to meet! Let me see; let me see!" Lucy, gently, handed over the envelope. Erza cleared her throat, glancing behind Levy, into the apartment.

"Oh, um, would you guys like to come in?"

"Thank you, Levy. It would be our pleasure," Erza stated, almost robotically, pushing Lucy forward. Leave it to Erza to take command in every situation, even the ones, no _especially_ the ones that don't have anything to do with her. With a shrug, however, Lucy let it go. Erza was one of her best friends, and it had been a long time since she'd spent any time with her.

The three of them relaxed into the sitting area. "So, tell me. What is it that you finished, Lucy?" Erza inquired, eager.

"Well, it's a story that I wrote for Levy. It's, well it's her story but also a fictional one, basically comparing her to – "

"Lucy!" Levy suddenly squealed, again. "I looooove the title!"

"What's the title? What are you comparing her story to?"

"Bookworm and the Beast!" Levy cried out with glee. Erza's eyes went wide as everything suddenly clicked. She hurried over to Levy and started reading over her shoulder,


	3. Chapter Three: Bookworm and the Beast

"Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a short, bluenette named Levy. Levy was a quiet, intelligent girl, who had an open imagination that rivaled her breathtaking looks. Wherever she went, Levy found good. Her heart was big, so big, that it was a wonder it could fit in someone so small. She lived in a quiet, peaceful village. Her parents had died, years before, but that didn't stop Levy from trying to fill the world with light. She lived in a small orphanage, run by a kind couple. Her best friends in the world were named Jet and Droy, fellow orphans. The two had long been in love with her but had accepted when she said her heart could never choose between the two of them.

The three of them were inseparable at home but had each chosen a different apprenticeship. Levy had started working under the book-keeper. She spent each day in her personal idea of heaven, surrounded by dusty books, with the opportunity to gush over anything new that came in. Jet chose to be a mail-man of sorts, running from village to village delivering letters and packages. Droy was hand-picked from the local florist, after the fifth time Droy showed up to the shop, with a water can, watering plants the florist was neglecting. Instead of getting mad at him, again, the florist simply resigned himself to Droy's busy-body attitude.

One day, Jet was given instructions to deliver a collection of flowers to a nearby town. However, Droy didn't trust him to handle to flowers properly and insisted upon going along. The two of them were set to be back by evening. Lucy spent the day working but, halfway through, got a really bad feeling. She was worried. She was eager to get home for the simple reason that she needed confirmation that her best friends were ok.

She made it home and waited. When night came, and they still weren't back, she was absolutely positive something had happened. She didn't sleep at all, pacing through the living room over and over, again. Near dawn, she decided she could no longer wait. She grabbed her cloak, and tied a small lunch up inside a cloth, which she placed inside her satchel along with other emergency items, and hit the road. She left a note for the orphanage, directing another message to her work. And then she hit the road, determined to find her friends.

She walked for what felt like years; her short legs made long distances so much more excruciating. She knew the city Jet and Droy had been headed to, and the path they had planned on taking. She followed it as directly at possible. She stayed on alert the entire way, not knowing if they had been stopped prior to delivery or on their return. She jumped at every shadow, uncertain and afraid. There were sometimes when she hated herself for being over-imaginative. Every shadow, every creak, was some form of otherworldly being, intent upon the consumption of her soul. But, her friends, her _brothers_ , needed her, and she would not let them down.

At some point during her trek, it began raining. She grumbled, frustrated, but just pulled the hood of her cloak tighter over her head. She looked around, hoping to find some kind of shelter. She was soaking wet when she finally located a thicket of rose bushes. She pushed through, hoping the thick, thorny branches would provide some relief from the rain. As she wiggled her way through, she was surprised when, instead of more bushes or tress, she walked through to a clearing, on the other side of which she could just make out a cave entrance. Just through the bushes, however, she saw something that made her breath catch. On the ground was a brown satchel, the one Jet took on deliveries. Next to them lay Droy's delivery of flowers. A few freshly cut roses scattered loosely next to the packed ones, as well as a pair of shears. They had been here.

"Jet? Droy?" She called out, panicked. She picked up their things and pushed forward. This time, she didn't mind the rain that pelted her, she finally had a lead. She made her way briskly to the cave entrance she had spotted earlier. In her haste, and the way that she was looking up and around, she completely missed the large claw marks that punctured the ground. Once at the entrance, she called again. Again, no answer. She reached into her bag and pulled out some flint and steel. Then, she found a wet branch, wrapping the only dry fabric she had, the one that had been holding her lunch inside her bag, around it. She quickly started the fabric on fire, and lifted up her makeshift torch, cautiously.

As she stepped inside, and overwhelmingly sharp, metallic scent, reached her nose. It wasn't unpleasant, exactly, just overwhelming. She proceeded a few feet forward, grateful that her torch provided a pool of light around her. The cave was deep, she could sense that much. "Jet? Droy?" she yelled, as she ventured even further. Only, this time, she heard the faintest echo of response. It was muffled, but hearing it was enough for her. She bolted forward, eagerly searching for her friends. As she drew closer to the muffled noise, horror filled her. Jet and Droy were there, but inside of what looked to be an iron cage. They were clearly hurt. Crusted blood marked a trail down Jet's cheek, starting just above his right eye. Droy didn't look much better, although his marks were purely black and blue. They looked at her in shock as the light fell over their faces.

"Levy?" Jet whispered, hoarsely, disbelieving.

"Oh, Jet! What happened to you two?" Levy felt tears pooling from her eyes as she reached through the bars to try and touch them.

"Levy?" Droy suddenly blurted out, "What are you doing here?! You have to leave?"

"Not without you, two!" She exclaimed. "Now, tell me, who did this to you?"

"N-not who," Jet groaned,

" _What._ " Droy finished. Levy felt a cold chill come over her. One that wasn't from the rain or cave. She turned her face back to the entrance, happy that there was still a sliver of light visible, despite their distance.

"We have to find a way to open these cages." Levy's voice shook a little, but she tried to make herself sound firm and brave. She looked around, trying to locate a lock.

"Levy, it's impossible."

"Why? Isn't there a key?" She looked around frantically.

"No.." Droy began.

"Okay, that's okay! We'll find a way to pick the lock."  
"Levy! You don't understand there _isn't_ a lock." Jet snapped.

"Impossible!" Levy stated, but the more she looked the more possible the crazy fact seemed.

"I- I don't understand! How did you get in there if there isn't a lock or a key?"

"He- _it_ -built it around us. The walls sprung up like they'd always been here. One second we were standing here, trying to find a way out, around him, the next second we were trapped."

"But, that's not po- "

"LEVY," Droy suddenly cut her off. 'It doesn't matter what's possible or impossible. The only thing that matters is that you _go. GO_ Levy!"

Jet and Droy had said the same phrase a thousand times over their lives. They were always cheering her on. But, this was the first time they'd ever sent her away. And she could tell they meant it. But, she didn't care.

"I'm not leaving you." She stated. For all the passion those two held, nobody held a candle to her stubborn side.

"You have to, Levy," Jet pleaded.

"Please, before it's too late!" Droy added.

"No. There has to be something I can do, some way I can save you." She started to look around, but that's when she felt a rush of air blow through the cave, with so much force her torch went out. She turned towards the entrance but couldn't find it as the glimmer of light she'd seen before was quickly covered up.

"No, no!" Droy and Jet cried out. Levy didn't know what was happening, but she knew it was bad. A part of her wanted to curl up, right then and there, curl up and disappear into the darkness. Maybe she could find something to hide behind, inside of. But, as much as she wanted to believe it, believe there was some escape, she knew she was doomed. And, so, she stood tall, well, as tall as she _could_ and waited.

There was a distinct scraping sound, like metal grinding over rock. And a gravelly voice suddenly demanded, "Who dares to enter my domain?"

Levy steeled herself, responding, "One who wishes to bargain." She called back. A rush of air met her, and suddenly she was snatched up from of her feet. She couldn't see anything, she didn't know what was happening, or which direction was which. She just knew she was scooped up by something and suspended.

A deep laugh met her ears, rumbling through whatever it was that seemed to be holding her.

"And what could a shrimp, as small as you, hope to offer _me?_ " Levy gasped. He did _not._

"I am _not_ a shrimp," she blurted back, before she even realized it. The laugh resumed.

"I may not be small myself, but I have met many beings in my time. I'm not sure even the pixies are as small as you, human girl. So, tell me, _shrimp,_ what should I call you?"

"Levy! My name is Levy!"

"Ahh, Levy. They whispered your name. You must be here for the thieves."

"Thieves?"

"Yes, thieves! The fat one tried to steal my roses. No one steals from me. What I possess is mine and mine alone."

"You won't reconsider punishment?"

"No, no I will not. Somebody must pay for this crime."

"Anybody?"

"One connected to the crime."

"Then I shall pay."

"No!" Droy sobbed, "Levy, you can't! This is my fault! It's bad enough I dragged Jet into this mess. I can't live if you-"

"Silence!" The voice growled. "You would trade places with this one?"

"Yes, but on one condition."

"What condition would that be?"

"Both of them go free. I alone shall remain." The voices behind her, she _thinks_ behind her, cried out in dismay.

"I accept your terms." Levy heard another sliding metallic noise. "These two are free to go." Another sound, more like a snap, burst through the air, accompanied by brilliant light. Suddenly, the cave was filled with light. Levy wasn't sure how it happened, but she nearly screamed at the first glimpse she got.

She was hanging from a large hand, no, paw. Claws wrapped around her body. She was high in the air, and below her was the gleaming face of what could only be a dragon. Her eyes widened as she took in the long, reptilian form that filled the cave. The scales of the beast were gray, and she suspected hard as iron. What appeared to be a thick, black mane ran down the back of the beast's neck and upper back. Red eyes bore into her own and dared her to cry out. She turned her head, slightly, and saw the cages were gone. Jet and Droy stood, freed but unmoving. She turned to them and gave the briefest smile she could offer.

"Go. I'll be okay. It's like …. it's just like all those storybooks I'm always reading. Don't you _dare_ come back for me." A single tear slipped from her eye, but she ignored it as she pleaded with her family to leave her. With a mortified sob, Jet grabbed Droy's arm and started to yank him forward. The dragon watched lazily as they skirted around him. He lifted his tail when they neared the opening, allowing them passage back into the world. And then they were gone. And Levy thought a piece of her soul left with them.


	4. Chapter Four: Bookworm and the Beast

Lucy watched, nervous as Levy and Erza read her latest piece of work. The first review was always the most nerve racking. Furthermore, she hadn't planned on Erza seeing her work as well. As Levy and Erza read the words of the story, however, Lucy relaxed. She was proud of her work, and both Erza and Levy read each new line, eagerly.

"Levy looked beneath her, trying to push back her fear and the immense feeling of loss that accompanied the exit of her friends. Mustering every last bit of courage she had, she inquired, "Are you going to hold onto me forever or set me down?"

The dragon laughed and snapped back, "I'm still deciding. Am I going to eat you? Put you in a cage? Am I going to make you sing for me or am I going to have you clean my cave?"

"What do any of those have to do with me being able to stand on my own two feet or not? Put me down and we can figure it out."

"Gihi, you're so feisty, little one. But, I suppose I can acquiesce with your demand, this once. You know that it is futile to try and escape, yes?"

Levy nodded, "For now, anyway." But, despite her attitude the dragon still placed her on her feet.

As she wobbled a few steps before steadying herself, Levy looked up at the dragon and mumbled, "Thank you." The dragon blinked its large eyes at her and gave the slightest incline of his head. "Do you have a name?" Levy asked.

"Gihi. Why do you wanna know, shrimp?"

"Because if I'm going to remain her, as I suspect, I will need to call you something and I absolutely refuse to call you 'O Great One' or 'Dragon' every time."

"Very well. They call me Black Steel Gajeel, Lord of Iron." As Gajeel spoke, Levy could hear the gravelly pride that coated his tone.

"Black Steel Gajeel . . . Gajeel. It suits you."

"Of course, it 'suits me'; it's my name!"

"So, Gajeel, am I to be your dinner, your maid, or your entertainment?" Levy's voice was a lot calmer than she thought it would be. She was literally discussing how she would spend the rest of her, probably short, life. And yet, there was no shaking. If there was any unique sound to it, her voice had an acidic twist to it.

"I don't actually eat humans," Gajeel's voice sounded fairly abashed.

"Well that's a relief," Levy let out a short breath. "Though, if you weren't planning on eating my friends, what were you going to do with them?"

"I hadn't decided, yet."

"And with me? Have you decided that, yet?" The two stared at each other a moment before Gajeel simply stated,

"No."

"Then, can you at least let me do something about these super wet clothes I'm in?" She'd been trying to avoid thinking about it, but she felt very uncomfortable in her wet clothes. Her feet were feeling mushy inside of her boots and, with the cold of the cave, she was fairly certain she wasn't drying properly. She really needed to do something about her outfit, but what she didn't quite know.

Gajeel gave a noise of irritation, but grunted, "Fine."

"I don't suppose you have any dry human clothes?" Levy figured the answer would be no. But, Gajeel surprised her.

"I don't got nothin' for a lady, but I got a few things for men. If you look over there you should find them." Gajeel shifted in the cave, letting Levy see a section she hadn't previously. Cautiously, she started towards the section she could now see. She was surprised at what she found.

In this corner there were a few metal chests. And, surprisingly, a bed.

"Why do you have a human bed?" Levy asked, dumbfounded.

"You gonna ask me questions or are you gonna get changed?" Levy could tell her question had frustrated him.

She opened a chest and her voice caught. "Y-you have a chest full of books!"

"Do I? I wouldn't know." Levy eyed him, suspiciously.

Reluctantly, Levy closed the treasure she had found and popped open another chest. Inside she found clothes, but they looked to be made for a _very_ large man. The shirt alone would probably serve as a dress on her. She pulled it out, along with a big black cloak. Maybe it could serve as a blanket of sorts. She ignored the pants and large boots. She couldn't find anything dry for her feet.

She turned around and stared at the dragon who, in turn, was staring at her.

"Um, are you going to watch me?" She asked nervously. With a cough, Gajeel turned and, where his gaze had been, a metal wall suddenly sprung up, provided Levy with the privacy she desired.

She peeled off her clothing, shivering when her bare skin met the chill of the cave. She quickly threw the shirt over herself and wrapped the cloak around herself. She reached into her satchel and grabbed the bread that had been tied inside the cloth, earlier. She ravenously munched on a bite, switching to an apple after a moment. She stopped herself from finishing everything, not knowing what she'd be given to survive on in the future and placed her leftovers inside. Then she called out,

"I'm dressed." The wall disappeared as quickly as it had appeared and she and Gajeel once more looked at one another.

"Gihi," Gajeel suddenly snorted. "Shrimp." Levy's ears burned red as she understood him.

"Is there a place I can put my clothes to dry?" She asked, trying to avoid the embarrassment that filled the air.

A long talon lifted to point towards another section of the cave. She was surprised to see a fire pit of sorts, not understanding why a dragon needed a tiny fire. But, she didn't voice her opinion, merely shrugged, picked up her clothing, and walked to lay it out around the flames, cautiously taking a second to warm up her feet, by hovering them near the flames, one after the other.

"Better?" Levy turned and almost tipped back into the flames. She hadn't even heard him move, but somehow Gajeel had come closer to her.

"Y-yes," she answered shakily, "Thank you."

Levy didn't know what to think. Here she was, a prisoner in a dragon's lair. And yet, Gajeel was treating her, so far, almost more like a guest than a captive. Furthermore, she was exhausted. She hadn't slept at all the night before, had walked miles and miles and then gone through the trying ordeal of leaving behind her best friends, forever. In fact, now that she was warm and dry, the entirety of her exhaustion was coming crashing down. She blinked a few times, drowsily, swaying on her feet. She couldn't remember ever fainting in her life, but she had the sudden realization that she was going to. And, as she tumbled towards the ground she caught the glimpse of a long black paw, reaching towards her.


	5. Chapter Five: Bookworm and the Beast

**A/N: So, basically there are millions of excuses and no excuses at the same time for my lack of update. I started to write this the week before my finals, which was also just before my 24** **th** **birthday, which was also just before my parents decide that we needed to start packing up the house because they are moving, as well as the return of my cousin/best friend from 18 months in the Philippines and by the time I have even a minute to write I'm basically exhausted and use my time to read other people's work rather than to write my own. HOWEVER, I am back! And I want to write, write, write! We'll see if I can do that! Reading other peoples work has helped me to realize just how many paths there are to updating. I know many people have actually dates for updates that they stick to, others will pick a date but offer early updates if a certain number of reviews pop up. I don't know if I should commit to something like that yet because I'm still not sure if people are even** _ **that**_ **interested in my writing and I don't want to cry myself to sleep because of my lack of talent. However, I'm totally down to hearing if anybody has ideas. Also, If I do author's notes in the future, I'll be sure to stick them at the bottom. But, just this once I'm going to place it at the top.**

 **Also, one very serious question. Are disclaimers like…. Required? I've never been able to tell. Probably because in my mind … well, I don't think anybody was under the impression that I'm Hiro Mashima…. So, I've never done one… but like… do I need to? Anyways, without further ado, Chapter FIVE! 3**

Levy had the strangest dream. She was still in the dragon's cave, Gajeel's cave. But he was gone. In the dream, Levy was having trouble seeing. She opened her eyes, or at least tried to. Her eyes wouldn't fully open. Most of what she could see were shadows, blurry shapes, flickering in the dying flames. One thing stood out from the rest, one shape. It was that of a person, one with thick black hair and bright, gleaming red eyes. She tried to open her mouth, but it wouldn't work either. The figure neared her, hand stretching out to push back her hair. "Sleep, little one," He whispered, gruffly, before her eyes closed once more, and she was lost to darkness.

She woke up in the bed by the chests, covered in furs. She was a lot warmer than she thought she ought to be, cave and all. She sat up, slowly, looking around. "Gajeel?" She called out, tentatively. The shadows around the room rippled and moved. And then she was looking into the big red eyes of the beast.

"Mornin', Shrimp." A snapping noise came, ushering in light.

"How do you do that?" Levy blurted out, suddenly.

"What? Turn the lights on?"

"Yes. How? I mean, it's so sudden and all at once."

"Well, they call me Black Steel Gajeel. So, I've got places set up around my cave. All I gotta do is rub some steel up against the flint I've got in place and sparks fly. Not hard."

"Ok, I guess. But, how do you control the iron and steel? Is that just part of being a dragon?"

"How can someone so small be full of so many questions? Forget it all. I gotta head out."

"What? You're leaving?"

"Gotta. And I don't trust you not to bolt, so I'll be blocking the cave."

"I suppose I can understand that. Although, as much as I'd love to bolt, I'm not about to break my promise. I said I'd take the place of my brothers. By bolting, I'd be breaking my word as well as leaving room for you to harm them, once more."

Gajeel just grunted in response.

"So, I guess I should thank you for tucking me in."

Gajeel blinked, "I - what?"

"You caught me last night and put me in bed. I don't know why you have a bed but I suppose I'm not complaining, now."

"Well, couldn't have my prisoner falling into flames, now could I?"

"No, I suppose that would be bad for business." Levy's voice was dry.

"Watch it, smart mouth, or I might just have to roast you, after all."

"Except that you don't actually eat humans, do you?" Levy's eyes were high, in challenge.

Gajeel just grumbled something quiet, which, despite the fact that he was a giant beast, she didn't catch.

"So, do you think you could give me a tour of sorts? I mean, I know you're a dragon but I'm a human and it would be helpful to know what kind of place I'm in. Little things like, where I can wash up, if there is a place. You know?"

"S'pose that makes sense. There is a place to wash; it hasn't been much use to me, but I guess it will work for you. If you look over there at the crack in the cave, there's like, a second room of sorts."

Levy looked where he was pointing, then hopped off the bed and to the floor. She squeaked at how chilly it was. She skittered across the floor to the little fire pit and grabbed her stockings, throwing them over her freezing toes. She pulled them up her legs and carefully underneath the large shirt, not wanting to give the dragon a peep show. Her boots quickly followed and then she moved towards the crack Gajeel had pointed out.

She slipped through and was surprised to see a separate section of the cave. Levy didn't really understand the mechanics behind what she was seeing. What immediately caught her eye was a small pool of water, as well as a quiet rushing sound. The water was not stagnant, but it certainly wasn't violent. It was below the level of where Levy was standing, and between them, on her level, was a metal barrier, keeping the water at bay. From what she could see, an Iron pipe was stuck out of one part of the cave wall, from where the water appeared to be running in from. And a decent sized hole was on the wall parallel to the pipe.

"If you don't use this room, why did you bother to give it obvious plumbing?" Levy turned back towards the dragon, who didn't quite meet her eye.

"Don't know what you're talking about," Gajeel grumbled.

Levy put her small hands on her even smaller hips and pouted. "I'm not an idiot, Metalhead. The pipe on the one wall brings in the water, the hole on the other drains any excess. The barrier between me and the pool keeps your cave from flooding. You planned this and I don't understand why."

"'S like you said. Didn't want my cave to flood."

Levy raised her eyebrow. "Then why not just seal it off?"

"Enough questions! I have to go. Wash yourself off if ya gotta, but don't freak if the water's too cold." With that snarky remark, Gajeel moved his way across the cave, pushing aside the blockade long enough to exit and then slapped it back into place, leaving Levy alone. As soon as she was, she felt the tears she'd been biting back since yesterday finally leak out and she crumpled onto the floor in tears.

What felt like hours passed by as Levy let her emotions run wild. Eventually she was done crying. She shakily moved to stand, steadying herself against the cool cave wall. She moved into the bathing room and carefully stripped down. Cautiously she moved to the barrier and dipped a toe in. It was pretty chilly, but she decided she'd rather be clean and cold than whatever she was, now. She jumped in, knowing that every other experience in life had taught her, the initial shock was easier to brush off when every inch of you was submerged at once. Levy shrieked, bursting above the water level. But, rather than move out like her senses were screaming to do, Levy pushed back in, frantically trying to wipe the grime from her journey and the salt from her tears off of her. She ran a couple fingers, still submerged, through her hair. As quickly as she could, her fingers brushed across every surface of her pixie like body, wishing she had soap but settling for friction. As soon as she could, she burst from the water and wrapped the large shirt around her body like a towel.

Scrambling, Levy ran back through the main cave and grabbed her clothes from their spot next to the now dead fire and scurried towards the bed. She wrapped the big shirt around her hair after a quick skim over her body and dove into the furs of the bed, trying to soak up any hidden warmth they might still have. She huddled there for a long time, trying to ease away the shivering cold. Eventually she felt warm enough to attempt dressing. She grabbed her dry clothes and put them on, all except for the boots. She was grateful Gajeel had left the lights on, because otherwise everything would have been impossible for her. She only wished there was fresh air to breathe in. When she was fully dressed she was finally able to sense her other needs. She moved towards her bag and pulled out the last remnants of her packed food and greedily munched away, almost crying when the last of it entered her mouth. She would have to speak to Gajeel about maybe not starving to death.

She looked around the cave and realized she was going to die of boredom long before her stomach could cause her problems. And then she remembered the chest full of books. Suddenly giddy with excitement she moved towards the chests, eagerly opening the one she recalled. She lifted the lid up and secured it in place, before greedily flipping through the selection. There was such a random variety that Levy found herself beyond puzzled. It was surprising enough to her that a dragon could have books in their treasure hoard, but the type of books were even more surprising. There were dictionaries to multiple languages, tomes on ancient history, and novels. The novels covered innumerable topics, mystery, adventure, danger and even romance. To Levy's wonder, she hadn't had the opportunity to read a single one before, each book was entirely new to her. But the most surprising was that each and every one seemed tailored to her desires. Every language she'd ever wanted to study was represented, every history she'd had questions about and all of her favorite genres were each accounted for. It was like the beginning of her own dream library.

Her touch became almost sacred as she skimmed her eyes and fingers over each book in the collection: _The Prince and the Gypsy, The Memorial of Dedric Knightwalker, Daonese: The Complete Vocabulary, 300XX A Century of Silence, Draconic Legends Vol I, A History of Humanity, Era of Darkness, The Frozen Siren._ The chest seemed almost endless, but she finally pulled a book from the bottom of the chest, _Dragons: More than Myth._

Eagerly she made her choice and closed the lid of the chest before moving back to the bed. She sat down, carefully cracking the book open, curiously skimming the words on the page.

 _Much has been speculated about the mysterious race, once thought to be extinct. Cursed has been the draconic name of myths and legends long since distorted. And yet, after extensive field research, observation and, surprisingly, conversation, it has become my only desire to set the record straight about the beasts who claim the throne atop the food chain._

 **Classification:**

 _Of all mysteries necessary to dissect, the one most important to begin with is that of the elements. Each Dragon belongs to an element or class. There are more than just fire-breathers roaming the sky. I will attempt to break down the many variations to five basic divisions: Water, Earth, Fire, Sprit and Air. Now, within each dragon lies some combination of elements. The Ice Dragon, for example, is a combination of water and air. Its genealogy will comprise of both elements, tracking back to the original five. The Leviathan, also known as the Sea Serpent, or Ocean Dragon, is comprised of the elements Water and Earth, having taken the salt like earthen element and mixed it with the water. Of all combinations, those incorporating that of the spirit are most complex. The wind, or Sky Dragon, for example, is most complex. On the surface, the roar of this dragon and its light-footed attacks appear to be nothing more than air. However, this Dragon possesses an ability to enhance basic abilities, speak to spirits of the dead and even heal the wounded. It has mixed its air element with spirit to bend and alter the reality of life and mortality. While the Light and Shadow Dragons are similarly transformed by the spirit element, they do not possess quite the same ability of healing or enhancement that comes with the wind. Instead, they are able to bend into their element completely, altering their physical form so completely that they melt into the shadows or rays of light, effortlessly. The Light Dragon has combined fire and spirit, while the Shadow Dragon has combined earth and spirit. Metallicana, Iron Dragon of the North, combines Earth and Fire, having been forged like steel. Understanding the combination of each dragon helps explain the origin of the mysterious beings so majestic in the eyes of humanity. But there is more than just coding involved._

 **Abiliiy:**

 __ _Every dragon, no matter it's elemental combination, possesses a breath attack. Despite thoughts that combination dragons would prove more powerful than single elemental dragons, it seems the opposite is true. One reason that myths have assumed every dragon breathes fire, comes from the mysterious phenomenon that no breath attack has blown expectations away quite like that of the Fire Dragon. However, when up against the Water, Earth, Spirit or Air Dragon, the Fire Dragon would be equally matched. The combining of elements, while it leads to marvelous new creations, does, in some measure, appear to dilute the pure elemental charge found in the original five. But, pure origin is not everything. I have had the pleasure of witnessing wonders and marvelous feats as I have walked among the winged beasts of Earthland._

 _Most important in fueling a dragon's energy is the dragon's element. And, perhaps, that is why the original five have more power within them. Each dragon is capable of consuming the element from which they were born and through which they attack. The Fire Dragon consumes fire; the Iron Dragon consumes Iron, and the Spirit Dragon harbors the souls of the dead. The purer the element, the more powerful the charge it carries within. Therefore, a dragon such as the Rain Dragon (Water and Air), might have a harder time charging up if it chose the desert as its home. The Ocean Dragon must stick close to the coast, and the Poison Dragon (Earth and Sprit) is said to live among serpents, feeding off of their venom._

 _Dragons possess the ability to produce their element, seemingly out of nowhere. Dragons do this in more than just their breath attacks. For example, Lightning Dragons (Fire and Air) are often the center of thunderstorms. Metal Dragons (whether Iron, Copper, Silver etc.) can produce currency, buildings or cages, depending upon their necessity._

 **Forms:**

 _There is nothing quite so beautiful as glancing into the sky and seeing a dragon in flight, wings that extend multiple house lengths in distance, scales that catch the light of the sun or moon and reflect it, voices that captivate, eyes that terrify and subdue. Each dragon is unique and beautiful, majestic and unknown. But they take more than just reptilian form, each dragon_

Levy jumped up, startled as the cave door suddenly screeched to the side and pure light shone through. She caught the sweetest scent of fresh air before Gajeel pushed through, blocking the light and closing the outside world behind him.

Gajeel moved his way to her side and she found herself analyzing his presence against what she had read. He truly was a magnificent thing to look at, despite the terror and fear that came with it.

"Whatcha lookin' at, Shrimp?" He grumbled. Levy rose, quietly. She rolled her eyes at his tone but ignored his question. She closed the book in her hands. Gajeel's eyes darted to her hand. He hissed and extended his claw. "That don't belong to you, pipsqueak. Give it back."

"But it's interesting!" Levy moaned, holding it to her chest, "And this place is so _boring!_ "

"Don't care. Give it back." His teeth snapped a little on the k, and Levy found herself handing the book over, trembling a little.

"Does that mean I can't read _any_ of them?" Her voice came out like a whine.

Red eyes stared at her for a brief moment before rolling in exasperation. "As long as it's not this one, knock yourself out." Levy was excited to hear she wouldn't be completely bored, but equally disturbed to know the dragon didn't want her learning about him. This annoyed her because, already, she had more questions than answers from reading the first few pages.

She watched as Gajeel made an iron shelf appear far above her reach and tuck the book upon it. For such a large beast, he was surprisingly good at handling delicate tasks.

"Where did you go, anyway?"

"Hunting."

"Oh yes, I'm sure the metal buildings you ate gave you _quite_ a chase." Her voice was sarcastic, but his eyes narrowed.

"How much did you read?"

"All of it," Her chin came up in defiance, wanting to shock him. But he just relaxed.

"You're not a very good liar, shrimp." She sighed but caved.

"Fine. I only read a few pages. About elemental divisions and whatnot. I was just starting the section on form when you got home." Her voice was huffy, annoyed. But he seemed satisfied.

"Fine. I can tell you bathed, too. My cave doesn't reek anymore."

" _Excuse Me._ " But he just laughed and ignored her anger.

"Here," He grumbled when he calmed down. He pushed something towards her. She moved forward and grabbed the basket, surprised by its contents. Inside the basket were apples, a few loaves of wrapped bread and dried meats. How a dragon of his size could procure such objects, let alone the basket, left her dumfounded. But, the grumbling in her stomach silenced any questions. Well, all but one.

"It's not poisoned, is it?" She asked, eyebrow raised in concern.

"Seriously? What good would it do me to poison you, pipsqueak. Even if I did eat people, you'd hardly do for much more than a light snack." Annoyed, but satisfied with his answer, she just made a little noise of protest, before bringing the basket to the bed and munching down on some dried meat and bread.

"I followed the scent of your brothers. They made it home, safely." Levy stilled.

"And I assume they remain safe? Because, I swear, if you touched them-"

"Dragons have honor, squirt. I thought it might help you relax to know they were home. I didn't touch them, just flew high enough above that nobody could see me. Dragons have excellent vision. So, even if they couldn't see me, I could see them." Levy was shocked. He had followed them just to assure _her_ that they were safe? It didn't make much sense, considering she was a prisoner in his home. But, she found herself overcome with gratitude.

"I- thank you." He grunted. "I mean it. That was very thoughtful."

"I may be a dragon, but I'm not a beast, shrimp."

"Well, be that as it may, you are still a dragon who is holding me captive."

"Doesn't mean I want you to think I'd break my word about leaving your family alone."

"If you care about that, why keep me here at all?"

"Maybe I just don't want to let you go, Shrimp. Dragons are a fan of treasure, after all."


End file.
